Duke Energy pulls out of clean coal association

The electricity producer has left the American Coalition for Clean Coal Energy over differences with “influential member companies who will not support passing climate change legislation in 2009 or 2010,” the company said.

Aside from its stance on climate change legislation, the clean coal association brought controversy when it was discovered that a public relations firm on its behalf had sent bogus letters to members of Congress opposing the legislation.

The letters were forgeries that said they were from groups that included a senior citizen organization and an NAACP chapter.
Duke CEO and President Jim Rogers has talked for several years about the need to do something to curb greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. The company has a heavy investment in coal-fired power plants, which are one of the targets of the legislation.